Political discussion and ranting, premised upon the fact that even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Dysfunctional Senate - Anyone Want To Argue?

Theorem: The reason that it took so long to get a healthcare reform bill through the Senate is that the 60 Democratic Senators did not actually want to pass a healthcare reform bill. Corollary: The reason they seem relaxed about the apparent failure of their own bill is that they're happy with that outcome.

Theorem: With V.P. Biden having all but said that he would follow through with the Republican idea - using the "nuclear option" to kill the current filibuster rules - if asked, the reason nobody in the Senate is even talking about that option is that the Democratic majority wants, likes, and benefits from the current rule.

Theorem: The problem isn't that the Dems don't have the spine to pass bills that benefit the public but may cause some degree of consternation to business interests (no matter how small); the problem is that nobody is paying them to act in the interest of the nation and its people.

I'm not stating that there aren't any Senate Dems who put the concepts of service to their nation ahead of the enrichment of themselves, their campaign coffers, their spouses and families. I'm just saying that there are relatively few of them.